


Giving It The Best Hospital Pass

by liseuse



Category: Holby City, The Eagle | Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-07
Updated: 2012-05-07
Packaged: 2017-11-05 00:02:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/399687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liseuse/pseuds/liseuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan has feelings, and doesn't really know what to do with them. Luckily Malick is there to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Giving It The Best Hospital Pass

**Author's Note:**

> This fic owes its existence to wildestranger. Who told me to write it, listened to me whingeing about it, and then betaed it for me. Any remaining mistakes are mine, and mine alone.

“Hello Greg,” Dan said, remarkably too cheerfully for seven in the morning. “Elliot’s couch not as comfortable as it looks?”

“Fuck off.” Greg said, and then took the coffee Dan was holding out. “Mrrrrbgh,” he mumbled through a mouthful and then tried opening his eyes again. “Blergh.”

“And if it isn’t the hospital drunk!” Malick laughed and handed him a sheaf of notes. “Here, these are yours.”

“Urgh.” Greg said, and took them. “Why the hell are you two so cheerful this morning?”

“Because,” Dan said, sounding like all of his Christmasses had come at once, “a guy came off his bike last night, needs repairs doing to all of his shoulder joints.”

“And,” Malick added with a little head-bop that Greg didn’t need his eyes open to see, “he needs all his intestines patching back up. Job for The Malick.”

“Yes, well that’s all very interesting,” Hanssen’s voice came through the air, and Greg visibly winced. “Perhaps you and Mr Hamilton should be somewhere near the patient you are so excited to see?”

“Ah, just going.” Dan said, and Greg opened his eyes to see Hanssen standing in front of him. 

“Morning.” Greg said, and took another mouthful of coffee.

“Good morning Mr Douglas. How are we today?” Hanssen said smoothly. “All well I hope.”

“Absolutely fine.” Greg smiled. “Just reviewing some notes.” He waved the folders around slightly and then put them down on the desk. 

“Excellent,” Hanssen said and moved off to terrify Chantelle.

\--

“Who da man?” Malick said as he sat on his chair and slid it across the floor towards Chantelle.

“You da man?” Chantelle said, sounding very pleased with herself.

“You are correct.” Malick grinned. “The patient is all patched up, and when he wakes up I expect everlasting devotion.”

“I think I will get that.” Dan said, leaning over the wall of the Nursing Station. “After all, it was my expertise that means he’ll be able to brush his teeth all by himself.”

“Not much use being able to brush your teeth if you can’t eat anything, is there?” Malick said smugly, and high-fived Chantelle. 

“Oh, Mr Hamilton,” Chantelle said as Dan was just turning around. “I was hoping I’d see you today. I’m having a housewarming party. Well, Lleucu and me are having a housewarming. And we’d really like it if you came.”

“Thank you, Chantelle.” Dan said, and looked at his watch. “I have to go and see how a patient is doing.”

“What?” Chantelle said as she turned around and saw Malick’s face. “I don’t think he gets out much. It’s a shame.”

“Right,” Malick said and smiled. “Duty calls I’m afraid. People to see, patients to save.”

\--

“Yo, Dan,” Malick said, swinging his bag over a shoulder. “You going to Chantelle’s thing?”

“Oh God, was it a serious invitation?” Dan said, looking a little horrified. “I thought she was just being nice because you were there.”

“Nah, it was a real invite. That girl doesn’t do nice for the sake of it. It’s her actual personality.” Malick grinned. “She thinks you don’t get out enough.”

“I get out!” Dan said indignantly. “I do plenty of things.”

Malick looked at him, and then raised an eyebrow. “Sure you do man, sure you do. Look, you don’t have to go, but you might actually enjoy it.”

“If I don’t go, she’ll never forgive me will she?” Dan said, with a sinking realisation. “And then she’ll look at me like I kicked her puppy repeatedly.”

“Fraid so,” Malick said. “You can always leave. I’ll text you the address.”

“Cheers,” Dan said, and dug his keys out of his pocket.

\--

“Dan, you’re here!” Chantelle exclaimed as she opened the door. “Oooh, wine, thank you! I bet you’ve got good taste in wine, Lleucu and me just buy whatever’s on sale.”

“Happy, um, housewarning,” Dan said and looked past Chantelle into the living room where it seemed every member of staff was currently to be found. He saw Greg and nodded over the sea of heads. 

“Go in! I’m sure you’ll know nearly everyone. And Malick’s around somewhere.” Chantelle kissed him on the cheek and then disappeared off with the bottle of wine. Dan headed towards Greg. “Hello mate, having fun?” 

“Oh yeah,” Greg said. “How did I end up here?”

Dan laughed. “I think that Chantelle might be able to rewrite the rules of the universe. Where will I find the alcohol?”

Greg gestured towards a door, “Just go through there and take whatever you can find. If there’s any beer left in the fridge bring me one.”

Dan returned a few, very terrifying, minutes later clutching at two bottles of beer. “Dear Lord, I think the entire Gastro department is in there. Barely made it out alive. Oh, hello Esca.” 

“Mr Hamilton,” Esca said and smiled briefly. “Right, I’ve done the polite tour of duty. Time to escape I think.”

“Lucky you,” Greg said and liberated one of the bottles of beer from Dan’s hand. “Fun evening planned?”

“Off to the pub in about an hour when Marcus finishes his shift.” Esca said. “Which gives me time to go home, get changed and be there when he finishes thirty minutes late, as usual.”

“Made it up then,” Greg winked. “Good on you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Esca said, but a grin escaped. “Have a good night.”

Dan took a long swallow of his beer. “Who’s Esca making it up with?”

“Marcus, the bulky sports physio.” Greg said, sounding a little distracted as he watched one of Lleucu’s friends dancing across the room.

“Aquila?” Dan said, “Really?”

“What about Aquila?” Malick said as he appeared at Dan’s side. “That boy has an amazing arse.”

“Yes, well, no one needs to know that do they?” Dan said, stiffly. “I didn’t know he … you know … was … with Esca.” 

“I think the words you were searching for there were gay, shagging and in a relationship,” Malick said disapprovingly at Dan. “And I think that means you are the only person in the hospital who doesn’t know that. Even Hanssen knows.”

“Even I know!” Greg said, “and I never know any of the gossip.”

“How do you know?” Dan asked. “I didn’t even know you knew Esca.”

“We shared a lot of whiskey in the bar and complained about our various misadventures of the heart.” Greg said. “Speaking of whiskey, did anyone see any in the kitchen?”

“Aha!” Malick said, and brought some out of his bag. “Here we go. And I’m glad Esca and Marcus got it sorted out. I was getting sick of being collared by Aquila when he wanted to complain. His arse is amazing, but I think he might have been dropped on his head as a kid.”

“You know, I think Esca’s arse would win in a competition,” Greg said, “it looks really good in scrubs.”

“Ah,” Malick said, “but Aquila’s in motorbike leathers? Thing of wonder and genius.”

“Umm,” Dan said, “could we stop reducing people to nothing but constituent parts of their anatomy?”

“We could,” Greg said slowly, “but I don’t know what else we’d talk about. Have the pod people taken you?”

“No, I just think we need to be more respectful of our colleagues.” Dan nodded and then scowled as Greg and Malick collapsed into laughter.

\--

“Right,” Malick yawned, “much as this has been the best housewarming party ever sweets, I am going to go.” He kissed Chantelle and then Lleucu on the cheek and grabbed his coat from the banister.

“Oh, do you have to?” Chantelle asked. “We were going to play Twister.”

“Fraid so,” Malick said, “busy day tomorrow and all that.”

“Oh well,” Lleucu said, “we’ll just have to make sure you come for dinner sometime soon.”

“It’s a plan.” Malick said and winked. 

“Oh, are you going?” Dan said from the top of the stairs. “Wait a minute and I’ll go with you.” He rummaged for his coat and headed into the kitchen to say goodbye to Chantelle. 

“Ready?” Malick asked, and then opened the door. 

“Look, Malick,” Dan said as they walked down the street. “I didn’t mean to offend you, or anything earlier.”

“What?” Malick said and then laughed. “Nah, man, it’s all right. No one wants to get hauled up in front of Hanssen on the disciplinary committee.”

“No, obviously.” Dan said. “Also, I don’t think it’s anyone’s business what Aquila and MacCunoval get up to in their free time. As long as they keep it out of work.”

“You are going to be the bane of the gossip mill, you know that. Wanting people to keep their personal lives out of work.” Malick snorted. “Never gonna happen.” He grinned. “Besides I thought you were just getting your nose out of joint because Greg and I weren’t admiring your fine arse.”

“What?” Dan stammered slightly. “No. That’s not what I was … you … oh, you’re joking.”

“Oh, man, the look on your face.” Malick said, and clapped his hands in glee. “I wish I’d had my camera then.”

“Oh, yes, very funny. Do lets all laugh at Dan.” Dan said and sped his pace up.

“Ah, look, come on dude,” Malick said, jogging to catch him up. “Lighten up, would you. MacCunoval dirty danced with Oliver at the last F1 party, that’s how the whole hospital know he’s gay, and I can’t keep Aquila away from me with his stupid relationship problems.” Malick grimaced. “It’s like he thinks I’m some sort of oracle. I mean, I do know everything, but do I look like an agony aunt?”

“No.” Dan said softly, and exhaled heavily. “You don’t look like an agony aunt.” He stopped walking and leaned against someone’s garden wall. Dropping his head into his hands he muttered, “you don’t look like an agony aunt _at all_.”

Malick stopped walking, and stood in front of Dan. “Hey, come on man,” he said, reaching one hand out to Dan’s upper arm. 

“What are you …?” Dan said, and looked at Malick’s hand. Then he looked around them into the dark, and mentally kicked himself because who on earth was going to be there at half one in the morning. He swallowed, heavily, and looked up at Malick’s face. Malick was looking at him, with the same fond expression he’d seen on Esca’s face when he was leaving the party. “Oh,” Dan said.

“Yeah, oh.” Malick repeated and went to drop his hand, only for Dan to shake his head. “Oookay,” Malick dragged the word out, looking at Dan like he was trying to decode something, and then he brought his other hand up to the side of Dan’s face, and kissed him gently. Dan made a choked sort of noise and Malick went to pull back, only for Dan to bring a hand round to the back of his neck and keep their lips in contact. 

“Sorry,” Dan said when they broke apart. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. Not like this.”

“Stop apologising,” Malick said. “And as for ‘like this’, it seems to me that this is a much better way for it to happen than up against a locker.” He stepped forwards a little, so he was stood right in front of Dan. “Hey, hey,” he said, “no getting shifty with me. I’m not gonna push it.”

“I. I … just,” Dan hesitated. “This was not in my grand plan for life.”

“You think kissing uptight white boys was in mine?” Malick said, with a smile. “Plans change.”

Dan smiled. “Well, if plans change, can locations change as well? I have a sofa at home that is much more comfortable than this wall.”

\--

“So,” Dan said as he handed Malick a glass of water.

“Yup,” Malick replied, and looked around the room. “Nice place, man. Very sleek.”

Dan sat down next to Malick on the sofa and nodded. “I wish I could say I had anything to do with it, but it was like this when I moved in.”

Malick rolled his eyes. “And here was me thinking you’d be a dab hand at decorating.”

Dan snorted a laugh. “God no. I can paint large walls very messily. Anything else and it ends up looking like I let a five year old loose on it.”

“So you can manipulate an arthroscope but you can’t paint a skirting board,” Malick raised an eyebrow at Dan who shrugged, with a faintly embarrassed look on his face. “That’s just sad.”

“I spent years training to be able to use an arthroscope,” Dan said, “no one trains you to use a paintbrush effectively.”

“Aww, man, you need to meet my mother!” Malick said through a laugh. “That house got redecorated every year, and she didn’t do a lick of the painting.”

“Well then, next time I need some decorating doing I know who to call. You’ve got to be cheaper than a decorator.” Dan said.

“I am so expensive you couldn’t afford me on three surgeon’s salaries,” Malick winked and shifted closer to Dan on the sofa. “You really want to talk about decorating all night?”

“No,” Dan said, sounding nervous. “Not really.”

“Good,” Malick said softly and curled a hand around Dan’s neck, drawing him in for a kiss. He put his glass of water down on the coffee table, and put his hand comfortingly in the small of Dan’s back. Dan tensed a little, and then relaxed into the touch, turning so he was facing Malick. It took a while, but eventually Dan relaxed completely, and let himself be drawn into Malick’s arms, kissing back with equal fervour. 

Malick pulled back, to give himself chance to draw breath and grinned like the cat who got the cream at the hectic flush on Dan’s cheeks and his red, thoroughly kissed, lips. “That is a much better look on you than you think.”

Dan huffed a laugh and shifted on the sofa. “Well, that is good to hear Mr Malick. I will be sure to write it on my next self-evaluation.” He dragged a hand over his eyes. “Oh, God, I need to go to bed,” he yawned. 

Malick raised an eyebrow. “Moving a bit fast there, aren’t we? I’m not as easy as some people like to think.”

“Oh, no,” Dan stuttered slightly and tensed, “that’s not what I meant, I only meant that …” he stopped and looked at Malick who was trying to keep his laughter stifled. “You utter bastard.”

“Oh, man, the look on your face.” Malick gasped.

Dan pursed his lips a little, and glared at Malick. “I’m going to go and get two more glasses of water, whilst you try and compose yourself.” He stood up and went to the kitchen. Standing against the cupboard he rearranged himself in his jeans and then filled two glasses. As he entered the living room again he saw Malick pulling on his coat. “You, you could stay?” Dan said, cursing the upward inflection. 

“Seriously, man?” Malick said, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well, it’s late, and you’d have to get a taxi, so it would be easier if you stayed.” Dan said, hoping it sounded convincing whilst completely aware it really didn’t. 

“All right,” Malick said and took his coat back off. “I don’t fancy traipsing back across town at this time of the morning, truth be told.”

“Well, good.” Dan said, and put the glasses of water down. “I’d offer you the sofa, but it is actually back breaking to sleep on, so … I have a bed?”

Malick swallowed a laugh, and picked the glasses up. “No one wants to end up with a broken back. Show me the way.”

\--

Dan’s alarm beeped and then the radio clicked on. He threw an arm out of the bed to switch it off and sent it thunking to the floor. “Urgh,” he said and fumbled for the switch to turn it off at the wall.

“Eurgh,” came an answering reply, and Malick fumbled for his phone. “Oh, good. It’s only half eight. You weren’t on early, right?”

“No,” Dan mumbled into his pillow. “Lates all week.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Malick yawned and pulled the duvet back over them, throwing an arm around Dan’s waist. He dropped a kiss on the back of Dan’s neck and then fell back to sleep. Dan blinked a few times, and then leaned back a little into the curl of Malick’s arm and dozed off as well.

\--

It was half eleven when Dan next woke up. He squinted at the sun coming through the windows and stretched an arm out to grab his phone. One missed call from Greg and two text messages. He checked that neither of the messages were from the hospital and put the phone back down on the bedside table. Yawning he rolled back over and woke completely up very fast. “Oh,” he said to himself and blinked before sitting up, and swinging his legs out of bed.

“It is possible you are a complete fucking idiot,” he told himself in the bathroom mirror, and splashed water on his face before starting to brush his teeth. He stared at his reflection for a while and then summoned his best ‘I am about to get a bollocking, but I am the King of the Rugby pitch’ face and walked to the kitchen to make coffee. The coffee was beginning to lift the lid of the pot and he was sniffing some slightly dubious milk when Malick walked into the kitchen, rubbing at the sleep in the corner of his eyes. 

“Morning,” Malick yawned and slumped into a kitchen chair. “The smell of coffee woke me up.”

“Ah, well. Yes.” Dan said, and poured the coffee into two mugs. He passed one to Malick and tried to smile and also not look too conspicuously at Malick’s shirtless chest. 

“Are you feeling okay?” Malick said after he’d taken an appreciative gulp of coffee. “Your face looks pained.”

“I? Oh, no. I’m fine.” Dan said and stared into his coffee.

“Okay,” Malick drawled. “Good. Though, I gotta say, man, you are not exactly exuding fine from every pore right now.” He stretched and tried to get his neck to crack. “If your bed is that uncomfortable I dread to think what the back-breaking sofa is like.”

“No. I really am fine.” Dan said, and started to smile dutifully before realising that, actually, the pit of panic and fear in his stomach had settled since he’d managed to leave the bathroom. “I just wasn’t expecting to be. Huh.”

Malick grinned. “Awesome.” He swallowed the rest of his coffee in one go, and stood up. “I’m going to go and use your shower, and then I’ll buy us breakfast. Sound good?”

“I am fairly sure I have breakfast foods in my fridge,” Dan said and finished his coffee. 

“Yeah,” Malick said, “but I saw you sniffing the milk, so I don’t think I want to eat anything you have. Also, if we leave the house you get an escape route from the bout of blind panic I think you’re building up to.” He raised an eyebrow and leaned over the table. “Am I wrong?”

“No,” Dan said, and frowned. “Towels are in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe. And if we go to Marco’s, I can tell you all about rugby.”  
“Awesome,” Malick said, only slightly sarcastically. “I’ll buy us the greasy food we tell people not to eat, you can explain a sport I don’t care about and we can avoid you giving yourself a heart attack with worry.”

“Okay.” Dan said, and nodded firmly. He watched Malick leave the room, and when the bathroom door had clicked shut he tried to work out exactly how much of the churning in his stomach was panic and how much was nervous anticipation. So far it seemed to be equally balanced and he was, unexpectedly, enjoying the fluttering of nerves. It reminded him of being eighteen and in love for the first time.

“Oh, fuck.” Dan said to himself and dropped his head into his hands. “Oh, fuck.”

\--

“So, let me get this straight,” Greg said and then chuckled to himself, “sorry, pun not intended. You’re in love. With Malick?”

“Yes.” Dan said grouchily, through his hands. “Apparently.”

“Right. Excellent.” Greg said, and then started to laugh again. 

“Oh, shut the fuck up. It’s not that funny.” Dan said with a petulant look on his face. 

“It is exactly that funny,” Greg said and tried to compose himself. “All that time and energy you spent trying to convince me you hated him, and that I hadn’t seen anything, and then you have a sleepover. Were there pajamas? Please tell me there were pajamas?”

“I did not know you had a pajama fetish,” Malick said as he threw himself into the spare chair. “You are more disturbed than I thought.”

“Dan was telling me about your sleepover,” Greg said and clinked his can against Malick’s. “Apparently he tried to explain rugby to you?”

“Yeah,” Malick said. “I still don’t get the appeal, not gonna lie.”

“Fit men in short shorts grappling,” came a voice from the next table, and Esca shrugged at them. “I’m not sure what else you’d want?”

“It’s why I stay up until ridiculous hours of the morning to watch international swim meets,” Marcus agreed and Greg nodded in agreement. “What? Not swimming. I was thinking beach volleyball.”

Dan shook his head, and then laughed. “You know, Greg, I always had you down as an ice-skating fan.”

“Oh, yeah,” Greg laughed. “It’s the sparkly costumes. Get me every time. Though, actually there was that French ice-dancer a few years back.”


End file.
